Most people see the world as it is drawn and others draw (create) the world as they see it. There are 1000's of labels and millions of different views.. but people seem to miss the basic underlining factor.. that we are all truly the same. As my story goes maybe you can feel where I am coming from in my world... <P>Back in 88 (damn am I that old now?) I met a bunch of kids (DSP, Dell Street Posse) on the basketball court near my home. We balled all day laughin, talken shit, etc. After we had put in our day a few of them needed a ride home so I offered to give them a lift. I asked where they lived, they said in the Lu Lacks in south Chandler. I said where? They just kind of laughed and told me were to drive to. Well we pull into this place and they say welcome to the hood hommie. Being the white kid from the suburbs I had never really had access to this part of town. Little did I know that I was really being changed forever.<P>For years we all hung out hooping, partying, getting into trouble (you know the real deal). As I started to learn more about myself I learned more about other people. Here we were two groups of people from other sides of the world. But were we really different? No.. In fact we are more alike than most people will ever know about. Me, an angry white kid from the suburbs and my homeboy Chris was an angry black kid from the hood. We saw the world the same but through different eyes. You know what you want out of life but your so damn angry that you don't know how to achieve it. As the years passed Chris and myself grew to be the best of friends. We had a lot of the same things in common (mostly women and money to start). As a balance we each shared a part of something different.. something fresh.. LIFE!<P>We put in our time as trouble makers.. as a matter of a fact I never really saw myself living past the age of 21. Gun fights, all out fights.. people getting blasted. This was the life that I was attracted to.. the "respect" of the streets and the power it gave me. I had control (so I thought) of things. As time went on friends died, went to jail, and we continued to roll on with our ways with no real regard for life until it was taken from others.<P>Ultimately what I am trying to say here is that people feel secure in their own worlds (even as deadly as they can be) and never try to see things outside of it. Chris and myself stepped out of these boundaries and shared a common human nature. It's as basic as 1st grade math... 1 1 = 2. One stands for the individual and two stands for a formed brother hood (colors not included). You can add us all up and we will all equal the same (and don't fucking lay that, "but so and so says this is the way it is bs on me").<P>Today Chris and myself have put in our time and survived with our very lives. But we are richer in souls knowing where we were and where we are at now. We are both making close to 40gs a year and making the money legal this time. I apply what I learned from the streets into my every day business life. We still hang at the clubs flirting with all the lovely ladies (black, white and brown), or chillen out each others pad and living life to it's fullest.<P>The point of my ramblings are that if you live as a product of a label then that's what you are. Peal back and see yourself for who you really are. It's easy to see us as society paints us all. We as a whole need to raise up as individuals before we can unite as people. So I ask you for today, tomorrow... Just be yourself with open eyes...<P>I am sure I will see some flames as I post this. I don't really give a shit about that. I just wanted to share the story of 2 angry kids that learned how alike we really were/are.<P>Thanks for reading my ramblings,<P>Shawn<P>AKA BigP3rm (no I don't have a fro)